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Former Harrison police chief sentenced for tax evasion

A former Westchester police chief was sentenced Thursday in White Plains federal court for a tax evasion charge.

Former Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini was sentenced to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release. He must also pay a $25,000 fine and pay $126,347.80 in restitution.

He must report to prison on July 31.

According to federal prosecutors, Marraccini failed to report more than $2.5 million in revenue from his home improvement business, Coastal Construction, as well as income from rental properties he owned in Purchase and Rye. Prosecutors say by failing to report the income, the former police chief avoided paying more than $782,000 in federal income tax as well as nearly $120,000 in state taxes.

Marraccini pleaded guilty to the charges in January.

Marraccini served with the Harrison Police Department for nearly 30 years and retired in 2016, several months after he was placed on paid leave for allegedly falsifying his timesheets.

Despite the guilty plea, Marraccini still has the support of many in Harrison who say he did a lot of good for the town of Harrison during his time at the police department. His supporters, as well as defense attorneys, had asked for leniency. Marraccini's lawyers were asking for no jail time.

Before the former police chief was sentenced, he told News 12's Lisa Reyes outside the courtroom that he just wants to put this behind him. But he didn't say a word afterward as he left the federal courthouse in White Plains surrounded by supporters.

His guilty plea deal had come with a sentencing guideline of 24 to 30 months in prison.